Red-Hot Wellness

Gwyneth Paltrow, Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Oz are all devotees. Jennifer Aniston and Cindy Crawford tout its skin-rejuvenating properties, and Lady Gaga says it helps her manage chronic pain. It’s not an expensive cream or bottled Amazonian spring water, but the humble infrared sauna, which uses infrared light (sometimes called far-infrared to describe the light waves’ location on the light spectrum) to heat the body directly without warming the air around it, as in a traditional dry or steam sauna. Its purported benefits: sweating at a lower temperature, so the body can withstand longer heat-soaks; simulating light exercise; and detoxifying organs. Valley spas and wellness centers are jumping on the celebrity bandwagon.

Ancient TherapiesPaltrow and her Goop disciples would feel at home at Ancient Therapies, a holistic health haven in Downtown Phoenix where you can experience colon hydrotherapy, acupuncture, footbath detoxes and vaginal steam baths. Participants enter the studio’s infrared sauna “cold,” at 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and the temperature increases to a maximum of 140 degrees to boost circulation and release toxins. The infrared light heats the body, not the air around it. A monthly infrared sauna package costs $300 a month and includes unlimited visits; inquire for single-session pricing.906 W. Roosevelt St., Phoenix602-254-1585, ancienttherapies.net

Hawaiian Experience SpaTake a mental trip to the islands at one of the three Valley locations of this day spa – Scottsdale, Chandler and Goodyear – that offers traditional Hawaiian lomi lomi massage, Hawaiian body scrubs, body wraps and Kauai clay body masks. The infrared saunas at these tropical oases are big enough for two, so you and a partner can book concurrent sessions. Hawaiian Experience uses LED color light therapy, which proponents say corrects imbalances and can reduce the appearance of cellulite. A 30-minute session costs $30, and five- and 10-session packages are available, as are memberships. Inquire for pricing.Three Valley locations, hawaiianexperiencespa.com

Mind Body & FlowThis wellness center in Old Town Scottsdale does a brisk business in colon hydrotherapy, but it also offers massage services, a 90-day Paleo challenge and an infrared sauna. In addition to a sit-in sauna, Mind Body & Flow offers a unique infrared body wrap, wherein the body is wrapped in what looks like a thin sleeping bag that emits radiant energy to penetrate cells more than an inch deep. The heat is adjustable so that specific areas of pain and stiffness can be targeted (a boon for arthritis and sports injuries). Sauna sessions cost $45 (a 16-session package costs $320) and wrap sessions start at $90.3271 N. Civic Center Plz., Scottsdale480-782-6566, mindbodyandflow.com

DetonixGet the most bang for your buck at Detonix, a North Phoenix holistic health center where $45 gets you one hour of infrared sauna time and access to a body-vibrating machine, which therapists say prepares the body for toxin-release. Want to go all in? Splurge for the one-month Lifestyle Transformation Package, which includes nutrition counseling sessions, a detox, infrared sauna sessions, colon hydrotherapy and more, and starts at $1,775. You can also get discount sauna sessions when you add them to another service (massage or colonic) or group three or more services for a 10 percent discount off a customized package.14850 N. Cave Creek Rd., Phoenix480-614-1433, infodetonixaz.com

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